Monday, February 17, 2003

Pirates rob two Lankan trawlers off SomaliaNAIROBI, 17 FEB 2004--The fate of 13 fishermen who set sail from Matara last month remains a mystery after reports that pirates had attacked the two boats off the seas of Somalia, police said.

They said the owners of the trawlers - Muhudu Sampath and Jayasagan - which left Matara on January 15 had told Negombo police that according to radio messages sent to Sri Lankan fisheries boats, an armed gang had broken in to their boats and shot the victims. According to reports the victims from Negombo, Wennappuwa and Matara had sent their last message on February 11 and nothing had been heard from them since then. - Daily Mirror - 17 February 2003 -